If God is all powerful, why doesn't he start by destroying the devil (and eliminating human suffering)?

Answer 1

In ancient Jewish tradition Satan is simply an angel doing the work that God assigned to Satan to do.

The word Satan means challenger. With the idea of Satan challenging us, or tempting if you will. This description sees Satan as the angel who is the embodiment of man's challenges. This idea of Satan works closely with God as an integral part of Gods plan for us. His job is to make choosing good over evil enough of a challenge so that it becomes clear to us that there can be only one meaningful or logical choice.

Contrast this to Christianity, which sees Satan as God's opponent. In Jewish thought, the idea that there exists anything capable of setting itself up as God's opponent would be considered polytheistic or setting up the devil to be an equally powerful polarity to god or a demigod.

Oddly, proof for The Christian satan/devil mythology is supposedly found in the ancient Jewish texts that were borrowed to create the bible. One can’t help but wonder how Christians came up with such a fantastically different interpretation of Gods assistant Satan in their theology.

Other hints about Satan’s role in human relations can be seen if you look at the name Lucifer. It’s meaning in the original tongue translates as Light bearer or light bringer. Essentially the bringer of enlightenment. The temptations of the Satan idea bring all of us eventually into Gods light. Hardly the Evil entity of Christian mythology.

Love and blessings
don

Answer 2

Are you really ready for that answer?


When Satan got out of jail, he was fit to be tied. And, some folks felt like doing just that (tying him up). But not God; God still needed Satan to preserve the new humans' "free will".

When we have no choice, we have no free will. At least, that is the way it is for a mere mortal who is faced with the thought of dying, and the thought of what should be done; (1) prepare and hope for the after-life, or (2) simply try to cram as much fun into what life we have on Earth. Without Satan on Earth, we would all logically or not do # 1, and it would prove nothing about our choices. Why?

Making a decision based on fear is not "free will", it is simply a form of pain avoidance. In no way would it classify you as a person who has chosen harmony instead of disharmony.

For a personality classification, someone, like Satan, needs to give us a sales pitch to "live for the moment"; live only for our own selfish gratification, and to not care if our actions create disharmony or pain for the other people in this world. Then, we
could choose to buy into that sales pitch, or we could choose the other sales pitch of selecting harmony and all of its activators.

Would anyone like to eaves drop on a conversation between Satan and God about this subject?

Gods Ancestors; by Wayne & Carolyn Thornton God agrees to be Invisible; Chapter 32

Answer 3

If human suffering ended(it might sound horrible but....), there would be a great increase in the population.
If that happens, more species will start to extinct, insufficient amount of food and living space, and people will sart to kill each other for what they need.
What I'm trying to say is, these things are sometimes necessary for the majority to live.

Answer 4

Are you being civil about this and looking for answers or just ranting? If you really want to know, better than what I can explain, check out this link and the lesson Did God Create A Devil?

http://www.amazingfacts.org/items/study_guides.asp

Answer 5

God is all powerful but Jesus threw Satan out of the heavens and down to earth and that is why there is so much evil in this world. Now as far as suffering, have you ever read the first part of the bible in Genesis about Adam and Eve. Adam sinned and thus sin spread to all his descendants. That is why human suffer and die. Then Jesus came to earth and died for us so we can be saved. So God will put an end to all of it when it is his time.

Answer 6

I don't know why the devil has been left on earth.

But as eliminating human suffering. ...... Who causes most of it? It's other people who keep passing on diseases, hatred, neglect, greed, selfishness, etc.
Do you want them destroyed? Before you decide maybe you should make sure that you have NEVER caused human suffering to ANYONE.

Answer 7

Eventually that will happen...Satan won't be destroyed, but "bound" and will have no power to tempt us or do anything else evil.
Part of being in this world is trials. We all agreed to come here, knowing the temptations we would have...that is why we are here to prove ourselves worthy, to not subject ourselves to temptation (as much as possible anyways) and return to live with our Heavenly Father.

Answer 8

You can start to destroy devil just by honoring God. Devil is very unhappy when people honor God.

Answer 9

He couldn't be a Savior, unless He had someone to save.... He couldn't be a Healer unless He had someone who needed healing... God allows things to happen that we don't fully understand, but He sees the big picture. (Perfect example : If God had not allowed Jesus to suffer and die on the cross for our sins then all the world would be lost).... Very good question. hope this helps

Answer 10

I've got a better idea. My friend just lost her 6 year old girl to a devastating illness. Where was god on that one? Why doesn't god stop by a children's hospital and do some good for once?!